SMART offering free bus rides on election day in Metro Detroit

DETROIT (FOX 2) - In an effort to help get as many voters to the polls as possible, SMART is offering free rides on election day in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties.

Fixed route buses, connector services, ADA paratransit, and SMART Flex will all be free from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Nov. 5.

"Voting is a fundamental right, and transportation should never stand in the way of someone making their voice heard," said SMART General Manager Dwight Ferrell. "This is the second time we’ve provided free rides on election day, and it reflects our continued commitment to being a pillar in the community. By removing transportation barriers, we’re helping to ensure that everyone can participate in the democratic process. At SMART, we pride ourselves on being more than a transit provider—we’re here to serve and uplift the communities that rely on us every day."

View SMART routes here.

If you can't make it to the polls on election day, there are other options for casting your ballot ahead of time. Voters have until Nov. 3 to participate in early voting and until 8 p.m. Nov. 5 to return an absentee ballot.

Here's more info on both voting options:

Early voting in Michigan

Early voting in Michigan opened on the second Saturday before election day and takes place for at least nine consecutive days. It ends Nov. 3.

Some communities, such as Detroit, may elect to have their early voting sites open for longer. Municipalities can opt to have early voting available for up to 29 days.

Find your early voting site.

Absentee voting in Michigan

Requesting an absentee ballot

Visit your clerk's office to request an absentee ballot. While there, you can fill out the ballot and submit it. 

Voters also had the option to request absentee ballots online, but the state recommends requesting them in person within two weeks of the election to avoid mail delays. 

Returning absentee ballots

Voters who still plan to vote absentee have until 8 p.m. on election day to submit their ballot.

There are several options for returning an absentee ballot. Voters can mail them to their clerk, bring them to their clerk's office, put them in a drop box, or take them to an early voting site. Since the election is only a week away, mailing a ballot is not recommended, as it may not arrive in time.

Returning ballots to the clerk

Ballots can be mailed or hand-delivered to the clerk's office.

Find your clerk's office here.

Returning ballots to an early voting site

Voters can bring their completed absentee ballot to their early voting location and place it into a tabulator, just like they would on election day.

Find your early voting site.

Returning ballots to a drop box

Drop boxes are available 24 hours a day up until 8 p.m. Nov. 5.

Find a drop box near you here.

Spoiling absentee ballots in Michigan

An absentee ballot that has not been submitted to a clerk can be spoiled at your clerk's office until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4.

Voters also have the option to spoil their unsubmitted absentee ballots at an early voting site ahead of the election or their polling place on election day. Bring your ballot with you when you go to vote and let the poll workers know that you would like to spoil the ballot and vote in person.

Voters who have not submitted their absentee ballot but do not have it to return will be required to sign a statement confirming that the ballot was lost or destroyed. 

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